Ashley Heath: Nature and Family Experiences in Dorset

Ashley Heath in Dorset combines a distinctive natural setting with an unusually diverse range of experiences. At its heart is Moors Valley Country Park on Horton Road. Those planning a trip with children can choose between peaceful discoveries by the water, activities in the forest and a range of experiences with different levels of challenge. When looking for a suitable holiday apartment or holiday cottage, the key consideration is therefore which combination of nature, play and activity best suits your stay.

Woodland, water and heathland as a landscape experience

Moors Valley combines coniferous and deciduous woodland with lakes, ponds, rivers, meadows and heathland. This varied landscape supports a wide diversity of wildlife and offers several different perspectives during your stay. The surroundings can be experienced differently by the water, on woodland paths or across the open heathland. The Moors Lake Audio Trail runs around Moors Lake, starts at the Visitor Centre and is approximately three-quarters of a mile long. Seven marked stopping points structure the route, making it a way to get to know the landscape in individual stages.

There are also several clearly distinct options for families who want to incorporate some activity into their day. The permanent orienteering course in the forest includes several courses for different ability levels. At Watchmoor Bike Park, you can use green practice loops, blue lines and red jump tracks free of charge. Adult and children's bicycles are available in various sizes from Moors Valley Cycle Hire; child seats, trailers and tag-alongs are also available. This allows you to shape your day's plans more around walks, orienteering or cycling experiences without leaving wildlife watching out of your itinerary.

Outings with children and special activities

Moors Valley also offers several activities focused on shared experiences. Go Ape Moors Valley has three high-rope courses for different age groups and levels of excitement. Adventure Valley Mini Golf is an 18-hole course that passes through grassland, woodland and wetland habitats. At the Adventure Valley Mini Land Rover experience, children take the wheel themselves for an off-road driving activity. These different formats make it possible to combine a more active part of the programme with a playful or landscape-focused activity.

The one-mile-long Play Trail includes ten wooden play structures. Another special feature is the Moors Valley Railway. It operates year-round at weekends and during the Dorset school holidays, as well as daily from June to mid-September. The journey is just over a mile long and runs along Moors Lake, through tunnels, alongside a wooded incline and in a spiral loop around the play areas. This means the park can be explored not only on foot, by bicycle or through an activity, but also from a unique perspective along this railway route.

The right base for your stay

The route to Moors Valley Country Park is signposted from the A31 at Ashley Heath; there are also access roads from West Moors. This helps you place Ashley Heath as a starting point for a stay with different daily rhythms. Other travellers may focus more on woodland, heathland and orienteering. The landscape and activities offer several ways to build an itinerary around these interests without making every day the same.

For more ideas of places to visit, you can also look at Minchington, Piddlehinton, Sturminster Newton, Dorchester, Bere Regis, Woodsford, Hyde and Wareham.

For the overarching travel overview: Dorset.